Here, at the End of the World
by keslei
Summary: He isn't sure how long they sit there in the darkness, watching the heavens rip apart, the only noise the sound of Sam's labored breathing and the impacts of a thousand angels falling to the earth.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Well, this is totally not what I intended to write when I started... But somehow my morbid mind thought this was much more fun to write than what I'd originally planned. Maybe I'll come back to the original idea some other time, but for now, this is what came out. And in case anyone is interested, this is the picture I had in my head the whole time I was writing this: petite-madame**dot**tumblr**dot**com/post/50690882185/

**Disclaimer:** Supernatural is not mine; it's just my current inspiration.

* * *

_This is the way the world ends_  
_This is the way the world ends_

* * *

"The angels - they're falling..."

He isn't sure how long they sit there in the darkness, watching the heavens rip apart, the only noise the sound of Sam's labored breathing and the impacts of a thousand angels falling to the earth. Eventually, in one final streak of light blazing across the sky and down to the ground, the last angel falls and the sky goes dark.

And in that moment, Sam gives a shuddering sigh, and his body goes limp in Dean's arms.

Dean's attention is instantly focused on his brother, his hands flying frantically to Sammy's shoulders, as he quickly notes how shallow his breathing is, with each breath slower and smaller than the one before. He's losing Sam, and that wasn't supposed to happen, not since they gave up the trials, and not on his watch, ever. With shaking hands, he tries to rouse his brother, pleads with him to live, because he can't face losing Sam, not now, not ever...

"Don't you dare die on me... Sammy, don't do this to me... please, not again. I can't lose you, you know that, so breathe, Sammy, just breathe, please..."

There are tears streaming unheeded down his cheeks now, as he lifts his face to the sky and calls out to his angel.

"Cas, he's dying... Where the hell are you?"

But there is no reply, only darkness and silence.

Dean knows then that there will be no answer, no miracle from heaven, so he does the only thing he can do - pulls his brother close against his chest, holds him as he used to when Sammy was little and scared of the dark. He doesn't even know if Sam can hear him, but as he feels his brother slipping away, as Sam draws one last breath, Dean chokes out his final goodbye.

"It's gonna be okay, little brother... Just rest now... You did good."

* * *

_This is the way the world ends_  
_Not with a bang but a whimper.  
- The Hollow Men - T.S. Eliot_


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Again, this wasn't supposed to turn out like this, not at all. It got morbid again, really fast... I guess I just don't like happy endings. Sorry (not really...)

* * *

_Though all we knew depart,_  
_The old Commandments stand:_  
_In courage keep your heart,_  
_In strength lift up your hand._

* * *

It doesn't take long for the petty squabbles of angels to drive the earth to ruin, factions battling across the globe, decimating the human population as they wage war. And those who stand up for the human race are struck down without a thought, until only two remain - the broken hunter and his fallen angel.

The angels come for them eventually, on a brilliantly sunny day with a sky the blue of Cas' eyes.

_Not a bad day to die_, Dean thinks.

There are too many angels for them to even have a hope of coming out of this alive, and a small part of him is annoyed that after everything, after surviving monsters and demons and the freaking apocalypse, it's come down to this, but that's their life, he supposes.

This is what you get for standing in the way of the angels one too many times.

But there's no way he's going down without taking as many of them with him as he can, so he tightens his grip on the angel blade and shifts his weight to the balls of his feet. Behind him, he senses Cas doing the same, and he reaches one hand back and touches his angel's elbow.

"Wait for it, Cas. Let them come to us..."

And for an instant, everything freezes, and the sound of a hundred angel blades dropping into their owners' hands rings out in the eerie silence.

In that moment, Dean wishes that there was another way, a way where they could live, could bring Sammy back, find a quiet lake somewhere and leave the world and heaven and hell behind, just the three of them. Hell, Cas never even got to live any of the good parts of being human...

But their choices led them here, to this end.

At least he'll die back-to-back with his angel.

And as the angels start forward, he hears Cas ask quietly, "Now, Dean?"

Dean nods grimly, though he knows Cas can't see him.

_We're coming home, Sammy..._

"Now."

* * *

_There is but one task for all,_  
_One life for each to give._  
_- For All We Have and Are - Kipling_


End file.
